What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Discrete vs Discern - What's the difference?

discrete | discern |

As an adjective discrete

is .

As a verb discern is

to detect with the senses, especially with the eyes.

discrete

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Separate; distinct; individual; non-continuous.
  • That can be perceived individually and not as connected to, or part of something else.
  • (electrical engineering) Having separate electronic components, such as individual resistors and inductors — the opposite of integrated circuitry.
  • (audio engineering) Having separate and independent channels of audio, as opposed to multiplexed stereo or quadraphonic, or other multi-channel sound.
  • (topology) Having each singleton subset open: said of a topological space or a topology.
  • disjunctive; containing a disjunctive or discretive clause
    • "I resign my life, but not my honour" is a discrete proposition.

    Usage notes

    * Often confused with discreet.

    Derived terms

    * discrete variable * discreteness

    Antonyms

    * continuous * (electrical engineering) integrated * (audio engineering) multiplexed

    Anagrams

    * ----

    discern

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To detect with the senses, especially with the eyes.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1875 , author=Jules Verne , title=The Survivors of the Chancellor , chapter=1 citation , passage=Meanwhile the brig had altered her tack, and was moving slowly to the east. Three hours later and the keenest eye could not have discerned her top-sails above the horizon.}}
  • To perceive, recognize, or comprehend with the mind; to descry.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1842 , author=Charles Dickens , title=American Notes for General Circulation citation , passage=If they discern' any evidences of wrong-going in any direction that I have indicated, they will acknowledge that I had reason in what I wrote. If they ' discern no such thing, they will consider me altogether mistaken.}}
  • To distinguish something as being different from something else; to differentiate.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1651 , author=Thomas Hobbes , title=Leviathan citation , passage=The severity of judgement, they say, makes men censorious and unapt to pardon the errors and infirmities of other men: and on the other side, celerity of fancy makes the thoughts less steady than is necessary to discern exactly between right and wrong.}}
    He was too young to discern right from wrong.
  • To perceive differences.

    • Derived terms

    * discernible * discernment * indiscernible

    Anagrams

    * *